The Present
by bcsbookworm
Summary: It's Jack's first Christmas as a Guardian, and all he wants is a present.


**Don't own the Guardians. **

Jack peered over the top of the table at the stack of teddy bears. They were all medium sized with fur the color of dark chocolate. He reached out and gently stroked a bear's foot, feeling the soft warmth of the fur.

An elf came by and slapped his hand away. Jack yanked his hand back to his chest and glared at the elf as it moved by without another glance. Jack stared at the teddy bears again. He hadn't wanted to hurt the toys, just touch them and see if they were as soft as they really looked. He could, now that he had his memories, remember a particular stuffed bear he'd had as a child that he'd loved. He'd presented it to his sister that Christmas before he'd drowned.

For another moment Jack thought about taking one of the bears for his own. It'd be nice to have. It'd be some company at least when he was alone. But that elf was now glaring at him and so Jack slunk off back to the room North had set up for him. North had been kind, Jack knew, setting up a room for Jack to come to during his "off-season" which was never really "off" since he still had to look after places like Siberia, Greenland, and Iceland all the time. But whenever he decided to give those places a decent day, Jack came to the North Pole and spent the day in North's home. He'd usually see the man, but right now, it was almost Christmas and Jack has come because he was tired and he'd sent several blizzards all over the place so he'd decided to come to the North Pole for a day or two break—give the humans a few days to clean up before frosting everyone over again.

Jack perched on the windowsill and stared out over the glistening ice. It was his first Christmas as a Guardian and somehow he held out hope that it'd be different. He knew North gifted many of the other spirits with gifts at Christmas, but he'd never received one. He was on the Naughty List and held the record.

A tug at his hood made him look back into the room, and he grinned seeing Baby Tooth fluttering about.

"Hey, Baby Tooth, long time no see," Jack said. He cupped his hands and let the little fairy cuddle in his hands. "Tooth around too?" Baby Tooth nodded.

"Is she trying to convince North to leave floss and toothpaste in the stockings too?"

Baby Tooth chirped in confirmation. Then she frowned and poked Jack's chest.

"I'm all right, Baby, really I am," Jack said. Baby Tooth glared at him. Jack chuckled. "Okay. I'm not all right. But I'll get by. I've gotten by without any Christmas presents or anybody's help or care for three hundred years so what's another year right?"

Baby Tooth shook her head and flew up to Jack's shoulder, cuddling up to him.

"Thanks, Baby Tooth," Jack whispered. "I appreciate that."

* * *

Several hours later one of the yetis yelled that someone was trying to steal a toy. North and Tooth hurried to the workshop, only to find Baby Tooth in a heated battle for a toy.

"Baby Tooth!" Tooth cried. "What are you doing?" Baby Tooth dropped the toy and began twittering away. Tooth caught the fairy.

"Slow down, Baby. Slow down," she said. "Now. Repeat." Baby Tooth chirped slowly.

Tooth looked up at North. "Baby Tooth says Jack's feeling very down because he won't get a Christmas present."

"He's on the Naughty List, Tooth. There are rules." Baby Tooth chirped angrily at North. Tooth sighed.

"Baby says that Jack said that 'after three hundred years, what was one more year without presents and help or care?'" North looked saddened at that. It was true that most of the spirits seemed to ignore the child spirit. Even the other spirits that happened to be children who involved Cupid, Spring, and Thanksgiving. And it was true that people on the Naughty List didn't get presents, but spirits were different. Just because they were naughty didn't mean they meant to be. Some it was just part of their nature, like Jack. He was the Guardian of Fun, and in having fun, sometimes one is a little naughty whether on perhaps or by accident, but he wasn't a malicious naughty like Pitch or some human children that staid on the Naughty List. He made a point of giving those "naughty" spirits (except Pitch and any other malicious spirit) a gift every other year but Jack Frost . . . . North felt ashamed at himself for never doing the same to the once annoying and bratty spirit.

"We've never given him much thought until this year, except to think horrible things about him," Tooth said. "But what if he was only acting like that towards us . . . because he was lonely?"

North looked thoughtful. "I suppose . . . ." he murmured. "I have made a mistake. I should have given him presents like the other spirits . . . even those on the Naughty List. He was always so carefree and seemingly unthoughtful. He made it blizzard on Easter . . . tried to break into my workshop, created havoc in places . . . ."

"Tried to break into my palace," Tooth murmured. "And Bunny's Warren. We never tried to understand him. None of the spirits except MiM ever tried to understand and love him. And that was awful of us. He's still a child in many ways, and deserves our love and protection. Especially since we have grown to love him. Ever since Pitch."

"Yetis!" North called. "Finish putting the toys together and start loading the sleigh! We have forty-eight hours before our rounds. I will be in my private workshop. Do not disturb unless it's an emergency."

North disappeared into his private workshop, Tooth and Baby Tooth following behind and hovering in a corner as North went to the bookshelf and browsed several thick tomes. He finally selected one and opened it.

"Ah ha!" he cried, turning to Tooth. "Here is Jack. His favorite toy as a child was a stuffed bear that I'd given him called Aspen. He eventually gave it to his sister . . . ." North frowned. "The Christmas before he died. It says here in my records that that was her most prized procession for the rest of her days." He put the tome back on the shelf and rummaged through another book, pulling out a piece of parchment.

"So, what shall I present to Jack? Something much more meaningful than the other presents."

"All of your gifts are thoughtful," Tooth said.

"Yes, but not as thoughtful as this," North replied, gathering supplies. "Now, shoo! I must be left to work!"

* * *

Christmas Eve saw many spirits and the Guardians packed into North's home around the globe. They all waited in anticipation for North to return.

Jack sat on one of the rafters, cradling a mug of hot chocolate in his hands. Baby Tooth sat on his shoulder, cuddling his neck and trying to lift his spirits. Under a huge tree in the corner, there were stacks of presents that were from North to everyone.

Finally they heard the sleigh descend and moments later North burst into the room, tossing his empty sack to the floor.

"Success!" North cried and all the spirits cheered. Jack smiled into his mug of hot chocolate. North crossed to the huge tree and shrugged off his coat before picking up presents and handing them to their owners. Everyone would respectfully watch each person accept and open their gift before North gave the next one out.

Jack sighed and looked away from the scene. Baby Tooth chirped and Jack picked the fairy up. Baby Tooth kissed his nose and Jack smiled.

"Thanks, Baby Tooth," he whispered.

"Jack! Jack Frost!"

Jack looked down and saw everyone staring up at him. North grinned at him and held up a blue package.

"Jack Frost, come get your Christmas present!" North cried. Jack stared at him, his eyes growing wide. He pointed to himself.

"If you aren't going to come down, I'll give it to Bunnymund," North joked. Jack immediately grabbed his staff and zoomed down to in front of North. He didn't touch the present though. He bit his lip and glanced shyly up at North who held the package out.

Jack's staff clattered to the ground as he dropped it and grabbed the present. He dropped to the ground and stared at it for a moment. It was box shaped, so what could be in the box? He gently pulled off the ribbon and pulled off the wrapping paper—just his mother had once taught him—carefully so that it could be save for next year.

He found a box under the paper and he opened the lid, reached in, and pulled out a teddy bear.

But not just any teddy bear, he realized. An exact replica of Aspen. From the dangly arms and legs, to the blue button eyes, drawn on nose and mouth, to black fur. He tightened his grip around the bear and glanced up at North who was now surrounded by the other Guardians. Jack jumped up and threw his arms around North, hugging him tightly.

"And the last Christmas gift as been given!" North cried, returning Jack's hug. Cheers went up and the party continued on.

But Jack only had eyes for his present.

Later that night, when all the other spirits had left, the Guardians realized that Jack had disappeared. They searched until they found him in North's sitting room, the living room that North had attached to his bedroom and was used for small private gatherings. Jack lay on the couch, holding Aspen close to his chest, curled up with Baby Tooth sleeping on his head.

Jack moved slightly, seeing them, but didn't move in fear of waking Baby Tooth. He smiled tiredly at them.

"Thank you," he whispered.

"It was our pleasure," North replied. Jack stroked Aspen's head.

"Whatever happened to my first bear?" Jack asked.

"I believe your sister loved it to the rest of her days," North said.

"What were the rest of her days?" Jack asked.

The Guardians looked at each other.

"She passed away young," Bunny said. "I remember because she was buried on an Easter Sunday. I use to hide eggs for her all the time, in the brightest of colors because she always seemed so sad. But I had to be careful that day to only hide eggs for the people who would be looking for them, and it was hard, because the majority of the town was in mourning for her. She passed away bringing another life into the world. A child that, with her last breath, she named Jack."

Jack hugged Aspen closer, tears forming in his eyes.

Bunny sat thoughtfully for a moment. Then,

"It wouldn't surprise me, if you searched ancestry, if our friend little Jamie was a descendant of your sister. He seems to be her and your type." Jack smiled and pressed his face onto Aspen's head. Sandy flew overhead and sprinkled dream dust over Baby Tooth and Jack and soon the Guardians could see little teeth spinning around Baby Tooth's head, and two laughing siblings around Jack's.

The Guardians glanced at each other and clinked their hot chocolate mugs together.


End file.
